BBC Revives Play School, Prepares 50 Episodes for a New Generation
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- BBC mengumumkan kebangkitan Play School setelah hampir empat dekade vakum, menargetkan produksi 50 episode berdurasi 14 menit.
- Program ini akan didampingi kanal YouTube CBeebies Parenting yang menyediakan konten pendukung bagi orang tua dan pengasuh.
- Pratayang dijadwalkan mulai Februari 2027, dengan separuh episode tayang perdana pada 2027/28 dan sisanya pada 2028/29.
The BBC has officially opened bidding to revive Play School, the legendary children's programme that last aired almost 40 years ago. The move marks an ambitious effort by the UK public broadcaster to rejuvenate its educational television legacy for today's young audiences.
Play School first aired from 1964 to 1988 and was designed to recreate the atmosphere of a kindergarten at home. Now, the BBC through CBeebies wants to carry out a similar mission with a more contemporary approach. Patricia Hidalgo, Director of BBC Children's and Education, said the programme reflects CBeebies' core values: creativity, curiosity, imagination, and learning through play. According to her, bringing back Play School is a meaningful opportunity to continue that legacy while supporting parents and carers through the CBeebies Parenting and Parenting Promise initiatives.
The BBC is targeting a production of 50 episodes, each 14 minutes long, plus 70 minutes of additional content for CBeebies Parenting, a new YouTube channel aimed at the needs of parents and carers. Pre-production is expected to begin in February 2027, with half the episodes airing in 2027/28 and the rest in 2028/29. In its announcement, the BBC said it is open to modern interpretations of the classic programme, while retaining the elements audiences love and adapting them to the shorter episode length.
Beyond the format, the BBC stressed the importance of keeping the warm tone and the presenters' direct address to viewers. Submitted proposals are expected to feature presenters from diverse backgrounds and interests. Iconic toys such as Humpty, Jemima, Big Ted, Little Ted, and Hamble—later replaced by Poppy—remain the most fondly remembered elements. The BBC is open to introducing new characters or even featuring the original toys in animated form, in line with what today's children expect.
"We are open to new and modern approaches to this classic programme. We are looking for a creative vision of how this series can retain the elements people love while evolving to meet the needs of today's audience and the shorter episode length," a BBC representative said.
The announcement coincides with the launch of the CBeebies Parenting Promise, a commitment to support parents and carers so that every child in the UK can learn, grow, and thrive through trusted, fun, and high-quality experiences that spark curiosity, build confidence, and make learning through play part of everyday life.
For Indonesia, the BBC's move can serve as a mirror of how public television and digital platforms can play a role in early childhood education. Amid a flood of digital content that is not always child-friendly, the presence of programmes like Play School that prioritise learning through play and parental involvement is relevant. TVRI and other broadcasting institutions in Indonesia might adopt a similar approach, especially by using YouTube channels to reach millennial and Gen Z parents.
Looking ahead, will the funding and distribution model the BBC is pursuing succeed in drawing young people's attention back? And can this programme inspire similar initiatives in other countries, including Indonesia, to present children's content that is both educational and entertaining? Time will tell, but the BBC's move deserves appreciation as an effort to preserve a legacy while adapting to a constantly changing media landscape.
